How to apply for residency in Spain through social integration or arraigo

How to apply for residency in Spain through social integration? What is "arraigo social" and how to apply for it? What are the benefits of arraigo social to obtain residency in Spain? What are the requirements to obtain residency due to arraigo social? How long does arraigo social take in 2023? Find out all about the social integration in Spain to apply for the temporary residence permit for exceptional circumstances and how from Gentile Law, experts in processing visas and residences in Spain and Europe, we guide you throughout the process to obtain legal residence in Spain.

Would you like to read more about how to obtain a residence permit in Spain by Arraigo or social integration? Discover the types of arraigo with which you can obtain residence in Spain through our article: "How to apply for a residence permit in Spain by arraigo?".

What is arraigo social or social integration?

What is the arraigo social as a method to obtain residency in Spain? At Gentile Law, expert immigration lawyers, we tell you everything you need to know about social integration. The Spanish State provides for social integration (arraigo social) as an extraordinary provision through which temporary residence is granted to foreigners who find themselves in an irregular situation in the country for a minimum period of 3 years. This three-year period must be uninterrupted, although absences from Spanish territory are allowed; it is important to note that such absences cannot exceed 120 days.

The residence permit granted has a validity period of 1 year, which cannot be extended. Therefore, when this period expires, it is necessary to apply for a residence or work authorization.

What benefits does arraigo social provide?

What are the advantages of applying for residency in Spain due to social integration or arraigo social? As specialists in the processing of residences due to social integration, we explain to you the main benefits that the residence permit for arraigo social or social integration grants:

• Residency regularization: through arraigo social or social integration, those residing irregularly in Spain can legalize their stay.
• Right to work: arraigo social grants the right to engage in remunerative activities, whether self-employed or employed by others.
• Family reunification: arraigo social or social integration facilitates family reunification in Spain.
• Free movement within the Schengen Area: those who obtain a residence permit through arraigo social can travel within the Schengen Area without the need for additional visas.
• Possibility to apply for Spanish nationality through residency. To learn more about this, we recommend reading our article: "How to Acquire Spanish Nationality through Residency?".

What are the requirements for obtaining residency through arraigo social or social integration?

What is needed to apply for arraigo social or social integration? How to apply for residency in Spain due to arraigo social? As lawyers who are experts in processing arraigo in Spain or social integration, the requirements that must be met in order to apply for arraigo social or social integration in Spain are as follows:

1. Not being a citizen or family member of a European Union, Swiss, or European Economic Area citizen.
2. Having no criminal record in Spain or in the country of origin or residence for the last 5 years. To meet this requirement, it is necessary to provide a federal criminal record certificate from the countries where the applicant has resided in the last 5 years.
3. Not being prohibited from entering Spain.
4. Not being subject to a non-return commitment to Spain.
5. Having an employment contract. This contract must cover at least the minimum interprofessional salary or the one established in the applicable collective agreement, and the working hours must be equal to or exceed 30 hours per week. In the case of individuals responsible for minors or those requiring support for the exercise of their legal capacity, the working hours can be reduced to 20 hours per week.
6. Providing a social rooting report issued by the Autonomous Community that certifies the social integration of the applicant or their family ties with other resident foreigners.

What happens if I do not have an employment contract in order to apply for social integration or arraigo social?

What must the contract be like in order to obtain residency in Spain on the basis of social integration? If there is no employment contract to apply for temporary residence through arraigo social, this requirement can be substituted by one of the following options:

• Demonstrating sufficient financial resources to live in Spain, or alternatively, that a foreign family member with legal residence in Spain has the financial means to support the social rooting applicant.
• Registering as a self-employed worker to start self-employed work (known as self-employment-based social rooting).

How to apply for arraigo socialin Spain?

How to obtain residency on the basis of social integration in Spain? What are the steps to apply for the residence permit for social integration or arraigo social in Spain? To initiate the procedure for obtaining residency through arraigo social or social integration, it is necessary to submit the required documentation through the electronic platform of Spanish Immigration Authorities. At Gentile Law, expert lawyers in visa and residency procedures in Spain and Europe, we provide specialized advice to our clients, ensuring a more efficient and secure process.

Once the arraigo social application is submitted, the authorities have a period of 3 months to resolve the request. If the authorities do not respond within this period, the application is considered denied (negative administrative silence).

How do I complete the process once I have obtained residency on the basis of social integration or arraigo social?

What do I do once I have obtained a residence permit in Spain on the grounds of arraigo social? If the authorities approve the arraigo social application, the next steps include registering with Social Security and, within one month from the notification of the resolution, processing the Foreigner Identity Card.

Do you need to apply for residency in Spain? How to apply for residency in Spain due to social integration? At Gentile Law, expert lawyers in processing visas and residency in Spain and Europe, we have extensive experience in advising and assisting clients seeking to regularize their residency in Spain through arraigo social. At Gentile Law, experts in immigration law, we are committed to providing comprehensive and personalized service to our clients, helping them achieve their goals of legal residence in the country.

Pablo Lanfranchi

pablolanfranchi@gentile.law

+34 604 51 60 52